Listening to Partners: Growing Demand for New Consumption Models

Listening to our partners is one of the most important aspects of my role at Cisco. The feedback we get from our partners helps to shape our strategy and our programs.

Every year we bring together a select group of partners as part of a series of Cisco Partner Executive Exchange (CPEE) events around the world. In the last 2 months, we’ve met with Latin America partners, APJC partners, and US and Canada partners. Last week we met with our Americas service provider partners, and next month we’ll meet with our partners in EMEAR.

During these events, partners gave us feedback on our go-to-market strategies; our programs, tools and incentives; and how to optimize our sales teaming with them. While each region is unique and partners have their own unique challenges, as we talk to partners around the world, it’s clear there are some common themes.

One of the common market dynamics we see is the growing customer demand for new consumption models like cloud and managed services. The implications to the partners include:

But what is really happening out there? Are partners seeing the demand, or is it still just a conversation? So we tested that notion with the partners in the room at each event and it’s clear that cloud is becoming more than just a conversation. Partners told us that the pipeline is building and deals are happening, but they tend to be small. Customers are moving to the cloud, but in small steps.

What do you see in your business–how fast are you seeing demand for “as a service” consumption models grow? Let us know if what you’re seeing falls into one of these categories:

A) It’s only a conversation; B) The pipeline is developing; C) Deals are happening

I encourage you to post a comment on this blog and let us know your thoughts and what’s happening in your business and geography.

Some of the individuals posting to this site, including the moderators, work for Cisco Systems. Opinions expressed here and in any corresponding comments are the personal opinions of the original authors, not of Cisco. The content is provided for informational purposes only and is not meant to be an endorsement or representation by Cisco or any other party. This site is available to the public. No information you consider confidential should be posted to this site. By posting you agree to be solely responsible for the content of all information you contribute, link to, or otherwise upload to the Website and release Cisco from any liability related to your use of the Website. You also grant to Cisco a worldwide, perpetual, irrevocable, royalty-free and fully-paid, transferable (including rights to sublicense) right to exercise all copyright, publicity, and moral rights with respect to any original content you provide. The comments are moderated. Comments will appear as soon as they are approved by the moderator.